Survive the World
by Ris Fallon
Summary: Ryo has lived many lives in many worlds, some of which have abandoned their memories to the passage of time. In each lifetime, in each world, Ryo's only mission is to survive long enough to see the next one. 100 themes challenge
1. Introduction

**Author's Note:** Because I have become something of a Ryo fangirl since the last time I was very active on here, I decided a meme in his honor was in order. These prompts were taken from a list compiled by TRexyBusiness on dA. There will be a mash-up of ships as I dance between crack and canon, references to the games as well as the anime, and some head canon information tossed in to entertain myself. In my head, all these worlds are as one (and as he's not _terribly_ well developed in Tamers, I feel justified).

Forgive me for starting another multi-chap. This is a lot more fun to write.

**Theme: **_Introductions_

* * *

They met in the digital world. It was a place both had stumbled upon on accident, but neither regretted it. For Osamu, it was a chance to be extraordinary. For Ryo, it was a chance to do something important with his life. For Ken, it was a game he played with his big brother and his new friend.

Osamu was a boy, just like him. And he had a little brother who always trailed behind him, nibbling nervously on his finger as he watched his big brother for his every cue. Osamu always complained because of that – Ken was a burden that slowed him down – but Ryo never minded very much.

"You're from Japan too," Osamu had asked, sounding surprised. "It can't be coincidence, two countrymen meeting together in another world."

"No," Ryo said. "I guess not."

"We should stick together," Osamu said. "It's dangerous out here."

"We're on an adventure," Ken said happily, squeezing his brother's hand.

Ryo smiled at him. "Well, then. How can I say no to that," he asked. Ken beamed.

It was an adventure that ended all too soon.


	2. Complicated

**Author's Note:** I accidentally uploaded this attached to the first chapter. My apologies. I'll make up for the double-posting by uploading a couple other chapters today.

**Theme: **_Complications_

* * *

"Hurry, Cyberdramon," he screamed over the rush of wind and the tornado of data speeding towards them. Cyberdramon growled his irritation, but he pushed himself to run a little faster. Ryo clung to his partner's arms as air rushed past his ears, drowning out his thudding heartbeat.

They were too slow though. Ryo cried out as the rose-colored light engulfed them both and Cyberdramon's arms wrapped around him more tightly to ensure they wouldn't be separated by the data stream.

There was silence. His eyes were wide open, but he could see nothing. And then all of a sudden, sound and sight returned to him, and he and Cyberdramon crashed to the ground as the data stream dumped them in the middle of a rather desolate-looking field.

"Shit," Ryo muttered, getting to his feet and feeling himself over for bruising. "You alright, Cyberdramon?"

"Yes," his partner said simply. He was looking rather irritated, but Ryo didn't blame him. He wasn't feeling very thrilled at the moment either.

"Well," he sighed. "No use sitting around here, is there?"

Cyberdramon picked him up without another word, and Ryo leaned his head back against his partner's chest to look up at him.

"We'll find him one day," Ryo assured him. "Your true enemy, that is. And then you won't have to fight anymore."

Cyberdramon didn't answer him. The search had begun again.


	3. Making History

**Author's Note:** I absolutely adore writing these two together. It's so much fun. I know Cyberdramon isn't very chatty in the series, but there are some instances of him talking, and I intend to take full creative advantage of them.

**Theme: **_Making History_

* * *

Everyone was staring. _Everyone_. Ryo shifted his weight anxiously from his left foot to his right, trying to remain calm and cool for Cyberdramon's sake. He stood close to his partner, only a small distance away from the others. But there was distance. Ruki glanced over at him, a faint frown spoiling her good looks. But he looked away and wouldn't meet her eye. Allies though they might be, he didn't feel like _one_ of them. Nobody should have been looking at him. He was the back-up, the distraction, the last-minute arrival. But they still looked at him.

They were getting ready to save the world. All of them, in their own way.

For the first time since he'd beat Ruki in cards, the world would see his face. But this time, it would be alongside the others. And the stakes would be higher than a trophy and a byline in a gaming magazine.

"Are you with me, Cyberdramon," he asked when it seemed everybody had looked away.

"Always."


	4. Rivalry

**Author's Note:** I've been wondering how Ryo's victory went down ever since he was first introduced to the Tamers universe. We know it didn't set well with Ruki.

On another note, I'm both surprised and grateful for the positive messages I've received regarding this fic. I'm glad to see at least someone besides myself is enjoying it.

**Theme: **_Rivalry_

* * *

"I think I just won," Ryo said quietly – too quietly for the cameras to pick up – and he smiled apologetically, like he hadn't meant to do it.

"There's no way," his opponent snapped, narrowing her eyes angrily at his cards. "There's no way in hell you beat me."

"Sorry." He left the cards on the table for her to inspect, but he began shuffling his hand back into his deck. She wouldn't let him touch the others. She was still reading and rereading the details of each card, analyzing where her wrong turn had been. "It was a really great game, though. You're really good."

"Don't patronize me," she hissed. Ryo felt his cheeks grow warm.

"I'm—" he began, but she narrowed her eyes into thin slits of violet.

"And don't apologize," she growled warningly.

"Look," he said, his embarrassment transitioning into a defensive anger as she continued to glower at him. But he didn't get a chance to say anything more than that. The announcer had realized what had happened, and he shouted Ryo's name with the winner's title for everyone present at the match to hear. His arm was yanked into the air by his wrist, fingers still wrapped tightly around his deck. When he finally pulled himself free, the girl was gone, but her cool and hating eyes were still glaring at him in his memory.

"What the hell," he muttered to himself as he walked away from the stadium with his hands stuffed into his pockets. "It's just a game. What's her problem?"


	5. Unbreakable

**Author's Note:** I hope everyone's been enjoying the first week of summer. I've been busy dodging thunderstorms and trying to be productive (but mostly reading _Sherlock Holmes_ and rewatching _Naruto_ for nostalgia's sake).

**Theme: **_Unbreakable_

In the beginning, he had been afraid.

Back then, to him, the digital world was the _only_ world. It was the only memory he had.

Night came quickly then, but to him that was simply the way days and nights worked. When darkness fell upon them, he and Cyberdramon would find a place to sleep. Most nights, he fell asleep quickly and slept soundly. But more than once, he woke up in a cold sweat, surrounded by the darkness and the oppressive knowledge that he was lost.

"I'm watching," Cyberdramon would say within the darkness. "Go back to sleep. You're safe."

But he'd never questioned his safety or Cyberdramon. He only questioned himself.

"I don't know who I am. What I am. Where I'm supposed to be," he choked out one night. It was always at night. He never felt so afraid during the day, when he and Cyberdramon were moving forward and looking – although neither was ever sure what they were looking for.

"You're Ryo. My partner. With me," Cyberdramon would answer calmly, resolutely, as though there could be no other answer. His faith in their paths, their destinies, calmed the worst fears of his heart and kept him strong even during his weakest moments. His partner believed in him, after all, and he couldn't just let him down.


	6. Obsession

**Author's Note:** It's been a while, ne? I'm sorry. I had a few more of these typed up, but life got away from me again. I hope these updates were worth the wait.

**Theme: **_Obsession_

* * *

It's a card game of his own innovation, so to speak. He brought the idea of Digimon to this world. No one knows that, though. He needed money, desperately, when he found himself in a world besides the digital world. He doesn't know if it's _his_ world, the world he was born into, but it's the world he's in now.

And it has Digimon.

He doesn't know how he got here, but until he gets back, he might as well make the best of it. He loiters around arcades and lunch tables. He hangs around comic book stores where Digimon cards are sold. He plays with a few boys from his. He studies deck strategies behind his text books.

His heart thuds when he picks up a card and it's a Digimon he recognizes from his days with Cyberdramon. He wants to go home. He's worried. But he's found another home here, across the table from other players. It's a battle of wits, and he never loses.


End file.
